1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a holding device for collecting residual viscous fluids within a container to the cap-ends for eventual complete consumption of the container's contents.
2. Description of Related Art
Collection, drainage and transfer devices for containers holding viscous fluids are known in the art. However, none provide for versatile use of a single device which can be used in a daily routine where a product is normally placed for use such as in a refrigerator, including a refrigerator door, on a shelf within a tub enclosure or in a corner of the tub enclosure, on a shelf or floor of a shower enclosure, or in innumerable other places, wherein the holder of the container has the capability to hold most size and style containers holding consumable items such as shampoo, ketchup, mustard, relish, barbecue sauce, teriyaki sauce, oil, cosmetic creams and lotions, including suntan lotion, among numerous other household products. The height, width and shape of most household products are so diverse that no single device used for draining fluids is capable of holding several different inverted containers in a stable manner. Most consumers resort to leaning the container upside down against an adjacent wall or corner or between other containers in order to drain the contents near the cap end for eventual complete use. This process of balancing the inverted container can be time consuming and an irritation to the user. Any slight movement in the area often causes the container to tumble to a horizontal orientation, thereby frustrating the attempts to collect the contents and to minimize waste within the container, hence wasting consumer dollars.
Known related art includes an apparatus for draining fluid containers as depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,860 to Connor. This apparatus is fairly cumbersome and limited as to where it can be placed to be used as compared to the present invention. It does not have the ability to allow water that enters the interior surfaces of the apparatus to readily escape from the bottom of the apparatus should the apparatus be used in a shower. It primarily secures the cap instead of conforming to the size and shape of the container itself thereby not being as stable as the present invention. The apparatus cannot hold containers with a pointedly-shaped cap such as a mustard dispensing container, whereas the present invention solves this common problem. Most other known related art are primarily liquid transfer or dispensing devices which include U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,957 to Belokin, Jr. et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,704 to Carr, U.S. Pat. No. 4,271,878 to Bologa, U.S. Pat. No. 3,266,533 to McHale, U.S. Pat. No. 2,767,744 to Beerman, U.S. Pat. No. 3,963,063 to Pascarella, U.S. Pat. No. 4,347,879 to Blaser, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,620,267 to Seablom.
None of the devices in the above references solve the problem of providing a compact device which can be used in a person's daily routine where product would normally be placed around the household such as in the kitchen, including in a refrigerator, and in a bathroom. The device of the present invention allows for the storage of consumable product within its own container in a ready for immediate use state and in such a manner as to minimize waste of product and time. Further, none of the related prior art provide for a device which can accommodate the innumerable shapes and styles of each container holding shampoos, lotions, creams, condiments, sauces, among countless other household products. Many dispensing containers also include pointed caps which limit the ability of a consumer to invert the container and lean it against an adjacent wall or corner in order to drain the residual contents near the cap end.
With the present invention, there is no need to attempt to transfer the residual from one container to another which can cause spillage, especially where cap sizes may vary. Instead, complete consumption from the original container is obtained without any effort other than to invert the bottle and store it in the present invention. The present invention can be placed on a refrigerator shelf or refrigerator door shelf without taking an undue amount of space. It can be placed in a shower area or tub area without creating a hazard, or being unsightly as a cylinder leaning against a wall or corner might appear.
Another object of the present invention would provide a device which is child safe, waterproof and sanitary, while providing a low cost household product to consumers to ensure the maximum use of consumable products. Consumers recognize that the wasted product that remains in a container and are disposed with the container is costly to the consumer and potentially harmful to the environment; however, many consumers prefer to dispose of such waste than to take the time to attempt to transfer residual contents from one container to another. Others do not want to deal with the mess that is sometimes created when transferring from one container to another, while others just do not want to spend the time watching a very slow process of drippage and drainage of viscous fluids from one container to another. The present invention solves these concerns and problems.